[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 160 (Thursday, August 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 55180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19681]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Basic Requirements for Special Exemption Permits and 
Authorizations to Take, Import, and Export Marine Mammals, Threatened 
and Endangered Species, and for Maintaining a Captive Marine Mammal 
Inventory Under the Marine Mammal Protection, the Fur Seal, and the 
Endangered Species Acts.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0084.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 536.
    Average Hours per Response: Scientific research permit 
applications, 50 hours; public display permit applications, 30 hours; 
photography permit applications, 10 hours; General Authorization 
applications, 10 hours; major permit modification requests, 35 hours; 
minor permit modification requests, 3 hours; scientific research permit 
reports, 12 hours; public display permit reports, 2 hours; photography 
permit reports, 2 hours; General Authorization reports, 8 hours; public 
display inventory reporting, 2 hours; and record keeping, 2 hours per 
permit or authorization type (including permits for scientific 
research, public display, photography, General Authorization; and 
retention or transfer of rehabilitated animals).
    Burden Hours: 7,265.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for a revision and extension of a 
currently approved information collection.
    The Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; MMPA), 
Fur Seal Act (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.; FSA), and Endangered Species Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibit certain activities affecting 
marine mammals and endangered and threatened species, with exceptions. 
Pursuant to section 104 of the MMPA and Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA, 
special exception permits may be obtained for scientific research and 
enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock of marine 
mammals or threatened or endangered species. Section 104 of the MMPA 
also includes permits for commercial and educational photography of 
marine mammals; import and capture of marine mammals for public 
display; and, Letters of Confirmation under the General Authorization 
for scientific research that involves minimal disturbance to marine 
mammals. The regulations implementing permits and reporting 
requirements under the MMPA and FSA are at 50 CFR part 216; the 
regulations for permit requirements under the ESA are at 50 CFR part 
222. The required information in this collection is used to make the 
determinations required by the MMPA, ESA and their implementing 
regulations prior to issuing a permit; to establish appropriate permit 
conditions; and to evaluate the impacts of the proposed activity on 
protected species. Inventory reporting pertaining to marine mammals in 
public display facilities is required by the MMPA.
    This information collection applies to certain protected species 
for which NMFS is responsible, including cetaceans (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), sawfish (largetooth 
and smalltooth), sea turtles (in water), and sturgeon (Atlantic and 
shortnose). The information collection may be used for future listed 
species.
    The currently approved application and reporting requirements will 
be revised to (1) create separate sections for marine mammals versus 
non-mammal species where doing so will result in less burden to the 
applicant (e.g., for scientific methods); (2) clarify to applicants why 
the information is required and what level of detail is needed for our 
analyses; (3) create `enhanced help' features (e.g., pop-up windows) in 
the online application system, Authorizations and Permits for Protected 
Species (APPS; https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/) to make the instructions 
more accessible; (4) create a streamlined application and online module 
in APPS for scientific research permits involving only import, export, 
or receipt of biological samples (i.e., where no animals in the wild 
are affected); (5) make photography permit applications accessible via 
APPS.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations; not-for-profit institutions; state, local and 
tribal government.
    Frequency: Annually and on occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-19681 Filed 8-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P